Cancelling MSN, will I lose my MSN email address?

Dave, I was wondering, if you cancel your msn account and get DSL, will you still have your msn e-mail account???

Dave's Answer:

The sad news is that if you have an email address and mailbox through a Web hosting or Internet service provider like MSN, AOL, or Earthlink, and you're using their address for your correspondence (that is, an address like "joe@msn.com" or "merilee@earthlink.net") then when you cancel your account, your email address vanishes too.

This is one of the strong arguments for using a separate email service like Hotmail, Yahoo Mail or Gmail (among many others) or, what I recommend, registering your own domain name and using an email forward.

Imagine, if you had registered "HeckInAHandbasket.info" (I dunno, is that actually registered?) and were telling everyone that your email address was "leroy@HeckInAHandbasket.info", putting that on your business cards, your resume, etc etc., then you could switch service providers with nary a glitch. How? Because many domain registrars have the ability to set up permanent email forwards, so every message sent to "leroy@HeckInAHandbasket.info" would actually, secretly, be forwarded to your MSN account and end up in your "leroy4324@msn.com" mailbox. When you decide to switch to Earthlink, say, you just update the forward and the printed address still works just fine.

Actually, having dug around in the MSN help system, it's not clear to me whether you get an @msn.com address as an MSN subscriber or an @hotmail.com address. If the latter, then it's entirely possible that you can keep your mail address even if you switch ISPs. If you cancel your Hotmail account, though, Microsoft says: "By closing this account, you are marking your account inactive. Stored e-mail will be permanently deleted and inbound mail will be refused. Your .NET Passport will still function, and your e-mail name will be reserved."

So, if your address is something "@msn.com" then closing your account will close off your email address. If your address is something "@hotmail.com", however, you should be okay (though I'd save / print any messages that were critical, just in case).

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 3918, Written by Dave Taylor)
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Reader Comments To Date: 76

Kevin said, on March 10, 2005 5:58 AM:

Yeah, that should be true, but I cancelled my MSN service over a year ago and my e-mail address is still working. Heh heh, I check it on occasion to make sure everyone knows that I switched.

Dave Taylor said, on March 10, 2005 6:01 AM:

That's great to know, Kevin, but, as you say, I wouldn't bet on it working for any period of time after you quit the MSN connectivity service.

Duffbert said, on March 10, 2005 4:18 PM:

Yes, it does appear that the @msn.com address stays around for an indefinite period of time. When I first signed up for DSL years ago, it came with MSN as the ISP and I had twduff@msn.com. I also had twduff@hotmail.com from my early days of internet activity. I decided to switch to cable and the MSN account was cancelled. But to my surprise, the email access didn't disappear.

I recently decided to shut down both the hotmail and msn addresses as they had become pretty much just spam magnets. I physically cancelled the email accounts online so that they wouldn't exist any more.

martha shaw said, on March 29, 2005 5:27 AM:

I want to cancel my msn account how can Iget the phone # to call I've tried to get it or cancel it on line it will not let me. I want it canceled now.

stormy said, on April 7, 2005 7:40 PM:

I would like to close this email address because I have an hotmail account and I find this to be too confusing , how can I do this without getting the run around ? please help me to cancel this address from my computer.

Dave Taylor said, on April 8, 2005 6:10 AM:

Unfortunately for both Martha and Stormy, while MSN has lots of help documentation online, it's only accessible to people who already have an MSN account. Since I don't have one, I can't research this information and find the phone number to call and cancel your account. Perhaps someone who does have an MSN account can investigate?

pamela said, on April 8, 2005 6:39 AM:

Yes, MSN email addresses remain - I've done this twice already. It doesn't revert back to hotmail.com, or become inactive. Of course, the storage limit changes, and any other features not offered to "free" accounts.

The billing and account support number is 1-866-271-7577. M-F, 8am-1pm EST; S-S 8am - 8pm EST.

Tommy said, on April 8, 2005 12:36 PM:

The number to call to cancel the account is 1-800-386-5550

Jeff said, on April 8, 2005 2:46 PM:

I have found a convenient master list of cancellation numbers for various services at

http://www.easycall.net/cancel-aol.shtml

but I don't know how dated it is.
the MSN number matches Tommy's.

You do get a *@msn.net address as a subscriber, not a hotmail address. Which is probably for the best. Hotmail has been having increasing problems recently.

Raymond Hafner said, on September 10, 2005 4:52 PM:

I was an msn cusyomer until I switched to DSL.I
really liked the msn email(not hot mail).Is there another service which provides an equal service free?

I said, on November 22, 2005 3:22 AM:

I have an msn.com account, though I no longer have an MSN explorer (for about a year or two). I am still able to use that email address everyday.

As for closing your account, go to the MSN Account services homepage, then click on Customer Support. After that, click on Closemyour account. Read the page and click on Continue. Note that information that you share with sites using this email account will not be automiatically deleted.

And of course there are many other good services, Raymond. For example, Google Mail (Gmail) provides you with over 2666MB (so far) for free.

Raymond said, on January 22, 2006 10:13 PM:

The hard drive on my Dell computer crashed and I can't get to my MSN e-mail account. I was on DSL and have been trying to get to my email via dial up through my NetZero account -- without success. I continually get an error message that my account name and password don't match. I could go from my MSN account to my netzero e-mail, but not from netzero to MSN. Can you help me with this.

Lyle Barnes said, on January 24, 2006 2:20 PM:

I just want to get back to the system I used before this. I don't like the initial window I get when I go into the explorer. I want to see what I was seeing before when I open the explorer.

Sandy said, on March 9, 2006 10:50 AM:

When we called MSN to cancel our internet service, we asked them if we would retain our @msn.com email addresses - the answer was YES we would continue to be able to access our MSN.com emails through hotmail for as long as we like at no charge, which is what we've been doing with no problems at all for a year or two.

Soki said, on March 31, 2006 5:41 PM:

I would like to cancel my MSN all of my MSN account.
$21 plus was taken out of my checking out without my knowlege. I could not find a number. My phone number is xxx. What is your phone number?

Rhonda said, on April 12, 2006 3:53 PM:

i would like to cancel my service with msn. how do i go about it. i will not cancel until may or june, but please let me know what to do. the reason is my husband passed in dec. and i do not this account any longer. i have no use for it. thanks! rhonda

Debbie said, on July 22, 2006 9:57 PM:

I am cancelling my msn too (finally got cable!!) and was wondering if anyone can tell me how to save my emails and contacts off the msn program. There is an import/export instruction and I downloaded it into a file in My documents, only to find the program can't be opened by Windows and can't find one online to open it either? What todo?

donna said, on September 17, 2006 8:14 PM:

a site told me i have a email address paapaw35@msn.com i do not have this address how can this be fixed?

jade said, on October 7, 2006 3:12 AM:

i want 2 cancle my msn account (address) but how?

Anne Wiley said, on October 7, 2006 4:38 PM:

I now have Verizon DSL and would like to cancel my MSN account. How do I do this to eliminate the MSN monthly bill?

Glenn Bergelin said, on November 6, 2006 8:30 AM:

I have maintained my msn hotmail account for two years even tho I have a different server. My problem is that when I click on an e-mail message to open it, nothing happens. On the lower left side it shows "done" but the message does not open. How can I fix this?

Anne Davison said, on December 7, 2006 8:56 PM:

Hello, First I want to say "thank you" for hosting this site. You are truly a giver.

I just left Earthlink dialup to go to DSL with MSN through Qwest. When I cancelled my Earthlink account they said I could keep my email box open for $4.95 a month. But, they would keep it open for a month free while I decide if I want to pay for it. Does this sound like something that Earthlink would do? I have found that I can call them three different times and ask the same question and get three different answers. I certainly don't want to pay for something that I don't have too. But, my email box is a whopping 100+ messages. Because I do a very large volume of genealogy and it is so nice to leave some messages for easy access. I hate to change it. (Sorry I made this so long). Thank You, Almarinda

winny32 said, on December 29, 2006 2:43 PM:

Hello!
My friend have a big problems, because a e-mail hosting where she had mail address for MSN is canceled.

Is there any way she could save her contacts???

Theodore said, on January 11, 2007 4:09 PM:

One thing that's not mentioned here is how hard it is to cancel the dang service. There's no way to cancel it online, and they won't cancel it in response to email, so the only thing you can do is call. However, they don't actually tell you what the cancellation phone number is (1-800-386-5550), and when you do get to it, all you seem to have is a useless phone menu and no live operators (at least that's what I got...), so to cancel you have to call Sales (1-877-564-6676), get transferred to Customer Service, then finally transferred to Cancellations, where you get a live operator because you were transferred instead of calling directly.

I'm posting this here for the sake of humanity.

val said, on February 8, 2007 9:46 AM:

I'm having a fit....I canceled msn as my ISP a couple of years ago but have been able to keep my msn address; yesterday, however, it started saying my password did not match my email but I know it's the right password...I've tried everything to regain access through their online help menus and nothing!!! All my emails and folders are saved in there...help!!!!!!!!!

sarah sujko said, on February 9, 2007 8:28 PM:

i want to cancel my msn account because i have comcast

gary said, on March 10, 2007 10:16 AM:

cancel my msn email

JB said, on March 22, 2007 7:42 AM:

How long does a received e-mail remain in your mailbox? Does it differ from service to service?

Thank you,
jb

shamara said, on March 24, 2007 7:31 AM:

i want so people msn ok

Joe D. C said, on April 5, 2007 9:37 AM:

I no longer use my MSN or Hotmail accounts how can the emails I get at these accounts get forwarded to my Optonline account?
Joe

Willow said, on May 9, 2007 4:30 AM:

I canceled my MSN account when I got satellite and was allowed to keep my msn.com email address for free indefinately. I download my emails from that account into outlook express, so there is not limit on the amount of messages I can keep. Now, if I had switched over to using hotmail to access the account, there would been a limit, but I refused when they said I had to years ago. I also keep a hotmail account and a gmail account for different purposes one for lists, one for business and one for personal. That works for me. If you want to cancel service, you can go online to msn support and speak with customer service. I have also used the service to troubleshoot email issues (and msn explorer issues when I had that). Most reps are excellent. As far as forwarding your msn mail to another account, I do not beleive you can do that. You will have to notify your contacts of the change so they send to your new email. Received emails on msn (hotmail) will remain for life as long as you check your mail every 30 days and do not go over limit. I have some that are 3 yrs old. Junk mail folder is cleaned out every 3 days. Other email services may have different guidelines, check with your provider. If you download your email from msn into outlook oe oputlook express, it is on your computer and accessible (on and offline) for as long as you keep it (but back it up in case of virus or crash). MSN Email password lost? Contact msn customer support.

Karl N said, on May 21, 2007 3:20 PM:

While changing to a later version of MSN, I lost all of my contacts in the address book. I still have all my contacts in the hotmail address book. How can I copy the hotmail address/contacts to my MSN address/contacts?
Also, I can open up my MSN account in both MSN and Hotmail. Do I havre 2 accounts? 1 Account?
Looking forward to your help.

"I Hope I Can Help" said, on May 31, 2007 10:08 PM:

Hotmail (now Windows Live Mail or something) is just the web interface for all the email through MSN, which includes @hotmail and @msn. So (Karl), you have 1 account that you can check in multiple ways--through the MSN software and the Hotmail/Live Mail web interface. If your contacts show when you log in through Hotmail, but not when you log in with the same address through the MSN program, then go to Hotmail and go Contacts --> Options (upper right) --> Export Contacts. It should make you a CSV (comma separated value) file that you can import into the MSN software. I don't know where exactly to import it; search for "Import Contacts CSV" or something in the MSN software and it should tell you.

Honestly though, Hotmail and MSN mail are both huge pieces of junk. You should switch to gmail.

jim said, on June 1, 2007 4:51 PM:

I quit MSN a couple of years ago when we got Verizon DSL. The Verizon email works fine when I originate the message, but if I click on File and try to send a page or link from the Web, Windows or whatever insists on trying to use MSN, which, of course, doesn't work. When I try to get rid of MSN, I get dire warnings about danger to Windows. What say you?

christine said, on June 5, 2007 7:45 AM:

a friend of mine cannot sign in on his account. Says the password is incorrect. He tried to reset pass word but it gose to his e-mail address which he cant open. The other way to access his information is to answer his question and gain access to the account that way, BUT hes forgot she pass word. HELP HELP HELP HELP.

trina said, on July 17, 2007 7:40 AM:

how do I cancel msn Idont believe I'm getting these screen to cancel my account.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

durim said, on July 23, 2007 11:27 PM:

i have msn duri.model and i have so much adress-s register and now cant register more tell me what to do??

Dolly said, on January 9, 2008 1:20 PM:

Which is the best and easiest to get around:
google
msn
ya hoo
or the one that is the best

Michelle Langin said, on January 10, 2008 2:53 PM:

Can you please tell me how to close a hotmail account and open a msn email account

Montana said, on February 22, 2008 1:27 AM:

Hi, my old msn account has been hacked.. How can i cancel it without knowing the password?

Rodney Webb said, on March 19, 2008 7:13 AM:

I have never signed up for MSN, however I did ask them to send me a disk. And, apparently, at that time they began taking out money from my account. This has been going on for three months. I just noticed this and need to find a contact number for them. I find it shocking that such a renown company would maintain such dishonest business practices.

KAY VANG said, on May 15, 2008 11:15 AM:

5/15/08

Attn: MSN customer service,

I would like to notify you that my under age son who was using my name and computer to tried your free trial msn dial up without my permission. He is only 15. I would like you to cancel the msn dial up free trial immediately once you have receive this cancellation email. His name is Engineering vang, his Visa credit card ends with:2258.

if you have any questions, please contact me at: vangpachou@yahoo.com

Thanks,

Kay Vang

Jesse said, on July 25, 2008 2:39 PM:

I want to cancel my MSN account but I want to download my emails onto my desktop into Thunderbird or something of the sort. The new Windows Live Mail apparently doesn't allow you to do so. Any ideas of how to get around this or the settings I need to use?

leah said, on August 25, 2008 3:29 PM:

I have a msn email account but am locked out of it and cannot find a way to unlock it. Do you have any ideas?

Lydia Tarin said, on September 8, 2008 12:10 PM:

I'm locked out of my email please help me i have tried everything and nit just won't let me in and don't want to cancel either

annerie6@cox.net said, on September 30, 2008 8:13 AM:

I hate the new MSN home page

Bradley J Tonkin said, on October 9, 2008 5:17 AM:

Quite a while ago - Over 12 Months Ago Someone Hacked My MSN Account Changing Both My Password And Secret Question To Some Chinese Dielect Hence Rendering My Main Email Address TOTALLY USLESS ! Is There Any Way Of Getting Back My Email Address Of - tonksy64@msn.com ? Please Can You Help ?
Yours Faithfully
Bradley John Tonkin

patrick mbuyi said, on October 15, 2008 5:07 AM:

i like to open other account to msn.please

jozea-marie said, on October 16, 2008 6:45 PM:

THIS IS NO HELP AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary Hale said, on October 26, 2008 5:30 PM:

for some reason or other, my MSN profile changed without me doing anything and I have my grandsons profile instead of mine why did this happen

Zurab said, on November 29, 2008 8:54 AM:

I loose My password ( I forgott to sign out from share computer in office) and somebody change My password !!!! alsow I cant remember secret answer... what shell I do?! please...

Gwen said, on December 6, 2008 12:46 PM:

I am sorry that I have to cancel my msn account. I found another account that I prefer. There is nothing wrong with msn and the services I received. Thank you.

Bert said, on January 14, 2009 11:08 AM:

Hello: I'm new to computing. I have msn. Now I understand that they are closing it in Feb/09. How
can I save my files? and is it true that Live.ca will not accept the files? Is it true that Google is one of the best? as I am needing a free site and I despise those pop up screens. I appreciate
your time and help. One thing for sure, life on
the computer is never dull. There is so much to
learn. Thank you.
Bert in freezing Manitoba Canada
(January 14/09)

x said, on January 19, 2009 12:10 PM:

i want to cancel my account

andy said, on March 6, 2009 9:55 AM:

how do i get a phone number for msn to cancel my account. i donot need them to be my internet provider

jose miranda said, on March 20, 2009 4:30 PM:

I don't want more this account, becase is to much mesages many that I don't want continue to send me e-mail.

Truly .. Jose Miranda

Mr Sir said, on April 1, 2009 2:44 PM:

I wish to cancel my MTV.
I was directed here by the google.
Please now telling me to have quit.
I am thanking you.
Please now, goodbye.

Terry K. said, on June 4, 2009 7:52 AM:

Why can't I suddenly sign in to MSN on my computer? I can sign into it on my wives, but not mine. It says, "MSN has encountered a problem and needs to close" every time. Have rebooted, unplugged, nothing helps.

Can you help??

Thanx. Terry

Reginald brown said, on August 10, 2009 2:20 PM:

i recently had a system crash, when i got back on the internet i had no msn mail through my qwest dsl. how can i get this fixed

lahkamgyidu said, on August 23, 2009 9:23 PM:

plase, how can i get my email number

Dave said, on September 7, 2009 10:16 AM:

Thanks,
several of the comments I read here answered my question. I want to cancel my msn account but still be able to access my mail through hotmail or outlook.

The main reason, because I access my account through another ISP's broadband through outlook or hotmail.com all the time.

And IMO, paying the 10$ for an account, only to be able to use the MSN Software that I don't use just isn't worth it, specially since the msn software doesn't want to install on my windows 7 machine and it is not available for macs, either... and I can access it for free through (as earlier and redundantly said) a web browser, windows live mail client and outlook (that I know of).

I'll contact msn billing to get this done.

Thanks!!

Pete Sufka said, on October 10, 2009 7:52 AM:

When I send or receive email on my MSN account, the posted time on it is always six hours off. The person on the other end always has the correct time. Any ideas? I have checked and rechecked my computer time and time zone so it is not that. Hoping for help,

Pete

Sunny Chan said, on October 11, 2009 7:11 AM:

how I wan to do a e-mail, i want 2 e-mail, because the facebook don't know you knoe or not.because the facebook i want to do a thing~

margaretlinam said, on November 8, 2009 10:28 AM:

cancel all my msn accounts please. email,homepage,and all

Darla Martin said, on January 22, 2010 12:46 PM:

I had someone get into my old E-Mail address and copies all my familys and friends E-Mail addresses and sending stuff that I didn't send to them,what can I do stop them for sending them stuff ,PLEASE HELP ME ASAP.
Please write to me ASAP.
Thank You,
Darla

Theo Gifford said, on January 31, 2010 3:26 PM:

I am moving from "myname"@msn.com to gmail.com. Is there a way to keep the "myname" part of the address and use it at gmail?

Thanks

Theo

Carla said, on April 8, 2010 7:11 AM:

I was emailing my friends msn account and about a month ago I started getting delivary failure messages back. I have no other way of getting in touch with him so I just kept trying that email every few days just in case. Yesterday I sent a few lines and got no delivery failure message back. Would msn have given that address to someone else? or could that still be him I'm mailing? I got no responce from the emails.

vera volpe said, on July 28, 2010 9:23 AM:

Please help...I am mad!!!!!!!! I have a hotmail account NOT a Windows Live account! My account mysteriously chaged to windows live and I hate it! I cant send emails now nor have my contacts anymore.......please help me switch it back now!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vera Volpe high_priestess_enoch@hotmail.com
my business gets its e-mails here.......

tino jose said, on August 9, 2010 7:21 AM:

I remuve my msn hotmail adress

C Kurcza said, on August 25, 2010 10:27 PM:

Years ago I had a @msn.com email account. For many years I have been using a hotmail account. I want to check the msn mailbox, but how do I get to it? I believe that I still know the password.

C Kurcza said, on August 25, 2010 10:31 PM:

Is Outlook a software program that you buy? Years ago I had Outlook on a my first computer and used msn email. Now I use hotmail. How do you use/get Outlook?

nano said, on November 5, 2010 6:30 AM:

hello,
someone is using my my msn address and i can't log in to my messenger . i got so many friends' addies i don't wanna lose . please if u got asolution , help me . plzzzzzzzz

shanna Loutherback said, on September 5, 2011 5:20 PM:

please may I retieve my contacts

khan said, on October 21, 2011 1:49 PM:

My hotmail account has been blocked and when I try to recover it it askes for a verification code, but the code has been sent to allahaghayour@hotmail.com but how do I get into that link?

Trish said, on January 24, 2012 5:48 PM:

I hope msn LOOSES BIG time for this move!!!

Carlos Martinez-Thiem said, on February 5, 2012 11:26 AM:

How do I *sign out* from MSN Secure, MSN Account Services, and finally My MSN? I'm asked for it whenever I sign out from Hotmail. Cannot remember even when and where I *signed up* to Secure ..., and Accounts ... Perhaps asking anything regarding my e-mail account (I don't use Messenger). Any help? Thanks a lot in advance, CMT

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

Cancelling MSN, will I lose my MSN email address?

Reader Comments To Date: 76

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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